Chrysanthemum plant named Definite Eyes

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct variety of Chrysanthemum plant. The new plant is characterized by its flat capitulum form, anemone capitulum type, pinkish white ray floret color, darker purple contrasting disc floret color, a diameter across face of capitulum of 4.0-7.0 cm, upright to spreading branching pattern with ca. 3-5 breaks after a single pinch, a flowering response of 59 to 63 days from the start of short days, and a plant height for a 6.5 inch (16.5 cm) pot of about 40-52 cm with 1-2 applications of B-9 at 2500 ppm.

BACKGROUND

1. The Field of the Invention

This invention relates to Chrysanthemum plants. More particularly, the present invention comprises a new and distinct cultivar of Chrysanthemum plant, botanically known as Dendranthema grandiflora and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name "Definite Eyes."

2. Background of the New Plant

Definite Eyes, identified as 87.3111, was originated from a cross made by Jack Van Der Knaap in a controlled breeding program at De Lier, Holland in 1986.

The female parent of Definite Eyes was unnamed selection #86.2409, and the male parent was unnamed selection #86.2439.

Definite Eyes was discovered and selected as one flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross by Jack Van Der Knaap in November of 1987 in a controlled environment at De Lier, Holland.

The first asexual reproduction of Definite Eyes was accomplished when vegetative cuttings were taken in January of 1988 in a controlled environment at De Lier, Holland by technicians working under the direction and supervision of Jack Van Der Knaap.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The basic characteristics which have been repeatedly observed in Definite Eyes and which, in combination, distinguish this Chrysanthemum plant over related known varieties and its antecedents are:

1. Flat capitulum form.

2. Anemone capitulum type.

3. Pinkish white ray floret color.

4. Darker purple contrasting disc floret color.

5. Diameter across face of capitulum 4.0-7.0 cm.

6. Branching pattern is upright to spreading with ca. 3-5 breaks after a single pinch.

7. Flowering response is 59 to 63 days from the start of short days.

8. Plant height of a 6.5 inch (16.5 cm) pot is about 40-52 cm with 1-2 applications of B-9 at 2500 ppm.

Horticultural examination of controlled flowerings of successive plantings has shown that the combination of characteristics and distinctions as herein disclosed for Definite Eyes are firmly fixed and are retained through successive generations of asexual reproduction.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

FIG. 1 is a photographic print in full color showing typical inflorescence and leaf characteristics of Definite Eyes grown as a pinched spray pot mum with 5 cuttings in a 6.5 inch (16.5 cm) pot, the colors being depicted as nearly true as it is reasonably possible to make the same in a color photograph of this character.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE NEW PLANT

Definite Eyes has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary significantly with variations in environment such as temperature, light intensity, and day length.

The following is a detailed description of Definite Eyes, with color terminology in accordance with The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, except where general color terms of ordinary dictionary significance are obvious. The following observations, measurements and comparisons were made of plants grown at Nipomo, Calif. in controlled environments. Unrooted cuttings were directly stuck into 6.5 inch (16.5 cm) pots and grown in a controlled environment under the natural temperature and day length prevailing during October to December of 1990.

Classification:

Botanical.--Dendranthema grandiflora cv. Definite Eyes.

Commercial.--Flat anemone to be grown as a spray pot.

INFLORESCENCE

A. Capitulum:

Form.--Flat.

Type.--Anemone.

Diameter across face.--40-70 mm when fully opened.

B. Corolla of ray florets:

Color (general tonality from a distance of three meters).--Pale pink graduating to a dark purple eye.

Color.--Front: 69 D. Back: some 70 C.

Shape.--Elliptic.

C. Corolla of disc florets:

Color.--The center of the cushion is dark maroon 59A, and the other rows of the cushion are a much lighter 56C.

D. Reproductive organs:

Androecium.--Present on disc florets only; insignificant.

Gynoecium.--Present on both ray and disc florets; insignificant.

PLANT

A. General appearance:

Height.--When grown in 6.5 in. (16.5 cm) pots with 1-2 applications of B-9, the total plant height including the pot will be 40-52 cm.

Branching pattern.--Upright to spreading with 3-5 breaks after the pinch.

B. Foliage:

Color (upper surface).--147 A.

Color (lower surface).--147 B.

Shape.--See FIG. 1. Up to 6 cm long. Up to 4 cm wide.

Definite Eyes can be well distinguished from other commercial Chrysanthemum cultivars, including Autumn Eyes (U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 712,334, filed Jun. 7, 1991), Dark Eyes (U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 712,903, filed Jun. 7, 1991), Quiet Eyes (U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 712,052, filed Jun. 7, 1991), Tara (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 6,313), and Vibrant Eyes (U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 712,901, filed Jun. 7, 1991). See in this regard the data presented in Table A hereafter. Also, the blossom coloration of Definite Eyes can be readily distinguished from Cherub U.S. Plant Pat. No. 4,629), Rave (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 5,738), Franky Lane (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 6,302), and California Moneymaker (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 6,851) as described in the respective U.S. Plant Patents.

Similar traits to the other above-mentioned Eye varieties are capitulum form and type (with the exception of Quiet Eyes which is a flat daisy type), branching pattern, and the distinctly contrasting center of the disc. However, each Eye variety varies in color of the disc and ray florets, making each a unique and different cultivar.

Similar traits to Tara are capitulum form and type, and breaks/pinch. Definite Eyes, generally has more ray florets and more disc florets per flower, and the ray florets are generally longer by an average of 1 cm. Definite Eyes is approximatly 4-7 days slower, and has fewer flowers per break than Tara. The coloration of the petals is very different between Tara and Definite Eyes.

                  TABLE A                                                          ______________________________________                                         Characteristic                                                                           Autumn Eyes Dark Eyes   Definite Eyes                                ______________________________________                                         capitulum flat        flat        flat                                         form                                                                           capitulum anemone     anemone     anemone                                      type                                                                           diameter  ca. 3.4 cm  ca. 3.5-6.0 cm                                                                             4.0-7.0 cm                                   across face                                                                    branching upright     spreading   upright and                                  pattern                           spreading                                    breaks/pinch                                                                             ca. 4.0     4-7         3-5                                          height in 6.5                                                                            30-40 cm    ca. 40 cm   40-52 cm                                     in. (16.5 cm)                                                                  pot with 1-2                                                                   applications                                                                   of B-9                                                                         disc floret                                                                              golden 11 A medium      56 C on the                                  color     tipped with lavender 75 outer petals                                           dark maroon C graduating                                                                               graduating to                                          59 A; eye is                                                                               to a very   a dark purple                                          dark maroon dark eye of eye of 59 A                                            59 A        77 A; tube                                                                     75 C                                                     no. disc  ca. 171     ca. 145     ca. 225                                      florets                                                                        length disc                                                                              ca. 1.0 cm  1.0-1.5 cm  up to 2 cm                                   florets   long        long        long                                         ray floret                                                                               front: golden                                                                              front: 75 C front: 69 D                                  color     yellow 11 A back: 75 C  back: some                                             back: pale  with a 77 B 70 C                                                   yellow 11 B stripe down                                                                    the center                                               no. ray   ca. 22      24-27       average of                                   florets                           27.3                                         shape ray oblong with oblong with elliptic                                     florets   rounded to  rounded tip                                                        flat tip                                                             length ray                                                                               1.0-1.5 cm  up to 2.5 cm                                                                               up to 4 cm                                   florets   long        long        long                                         width ray 0.3-0.5 cm  up to 0.75 cm                                                                              up to 1.0 cm                                 florets   wide        wide        wide                                         no. flowers/                                                                             ca. 9.6     average of  average of                                   break                 5.16        5.3                                          leaf color                                                                               front: 147 A                                                                               front: 147 A                                                                               front: 147 A                                           back: 147 B back: 147 B back: 147 B                                  leaf length                                                                              ca. 7.5 cm  up to 8 cm  up to 6 cm                                             long        long        long                                         leaf width                                                                               ca. 5.0 cm  up to 4.5 cm                                                                               up to 4 cm                                             wide        wide        wide                                         response time                                                                            8.5 weeks   8.5 weeks   8.5 weeks                                    ______________________________________                                         Characteristic                                                                           Quiet Eyes  Tara        Vibrant Eyes                                 ______________________________________                                         capitulum flat        flat        flat fresh;                                  form                              puffy rounded                                                                  old                                          capitulum daisy       anemone     anemone                                      type                                                                           diameter  8-10 cm     5.0-6.5 cm  3-4 cm                                       across face                                                                    branching spreading   spreading   upright to                                   pattern                           spreading                                    breaks/pinch                                                                             3-4         3-5         4-5                                          height in 6.5                                                                            ca. 40 cm   ca. 37 cm   42- 52 cm                                    in. (16.5 cm)                                                                  pot with 1-2                                                                   applications                                                                   of B-9                                                                         disc floret                                                                              lemon yellow                                                                               lemon yellow                                                                               from 155 D                                   color     1 A         10 A        graduating                                             graduating to           toward a                                               a large green           dark purple                                            eye of 143 A            eye of 77 A                                  no. disc  ca. 200     70-120      ca. 125                                      florets                                                                        length disc                                                                              1.3 cm long up to 1.5 cm                                                                               ca. 1 cm long                                florets               long                                                     ray floret                                                                               front: 75 B front: 155 A                                                                               light pink to                                color     back: 75 D  back: 155 D white;                                                                         front: 155 A                                                                   back: 155 B                                                                    bright green                                                                   ovary                                        no. ray   20-24       15-17       ca. 22                                       florets                                                                        shape ray oblong      elliptic    oval with                                    florets                           rounded tip                                  length ray                                                                               up to 4 cm  up to 3 cm  up to 1.7 cm                                 florets   long        long        long                                         width ray up to 1.5 cm                                                                               up to 1 cm  up to 0.5 cm                                 florets   wide        wide        wide                                         no. flowers/                                                                             ca. 5.2     ca. 11.3    ca. 8.4                                      break                                                                          leaf color                                                                               front: 147 A                                                                               front: 147 A                                                                               front: 147 A                                           back: 147 B back: 147 B back: 147 B                                  leaf length                                                                              up to 10 cm up to 9 cm  up to 5.0 cm                                           long        long        long                                         leaf width                                                                               up to 5.5 cm                                                                               up to 5 cm  up to 3.0 cm                                           wide        wide        wide                                         response time                                                                            8.2 weeks   8.0 weeks   8.0 weeks                                    ______________________________________                                     

I claim:
 1. A new and distinct variety of Chrysanthemum plant, substantially as herein described and illustrated. 